"One of the things I found out was that they don't start investigating miscarriage until you've had three, which seems ridiculous to me now," Lea said.

Devastatingly, Lea and Chris suffered another two early miscarriages which led to investigative tests.

How to deal with grief and the loss of a loved one74367

How to deal with grief and the loss of a loved one

03 Aug 2018

"There's no obvious reason why you're miscarrying"

In another brutal twist, the couple were told there was no valid reason for the three miscarriages.

"I had all the testing done and was told there's no obvious reason why you're miscarrying," she said, "and there's no reason why your next pregnancy can't be successful."

Lea fell pregnant again, and was shocked to make it to the 12-week mark.

"I was still a nervous pregnant mother," she said, but despite her fears and a great deal of questions at every medical appointment, she made it to 37 weeks.

But then Lea noticed the baby wasn't moving as much. She visited the hospital on a number of occasions over the following weeks where her and the baby were monitored, each time being sent home with reports of a good, strong heartbeat.

Chris and Lea, before their first pregnancy. Image: supplied.

"He was beautiful"

"I felt a flurry of movement, then nothing," said Lea, of the Sunday night before her due date.

The following morning, Lea visited her obstetrician who checked on the baby via ultrasound.

"I got onto that bed and he put the machine on, and I just knew I wasn't going to be having a baby ... a live baby," Lea said, with a distinct crack in her voice. "I felt sick to the stomach."

The following day Lea and Chris became parents to the most perfect angel baby boy who they named Stanley.

"The birth was OK, there were no complications. If he had been a living baby, the birth would have been fine," Lea said.

"He was beautiful. He had this beautiful honey red hair and ringlet curls. He had long hair and ringlet curls all over his head," she said.

After he was born, Lea was told Stanley's umbilical cord was 30cm longer than the average, and he had died as a result of an umbilical cord accident.

Lea and Chris with Stanley. Image: supplied.

"I was just desperate for a baby"

After a further two more miscarriages, Lea wondered whether she would ever have a healthy baby.

"I was just desperate for a baby," she said. "It was my only focus."

Lea was referred to a specialist, underwent assisted insemination and she fell pregnant with twins. She was then referred to a high risk specialist who insisted that there had to be something causing all the losses, but assured Chris and Lea that he would provide them with some answers.

It was then, at 10 weeks pregnant with twins, that genetic testing revealed a mutation in the MTHFR gene as the likely cause of the repeated losses.

Lea began treatment immediately which involved Aspirin and blood thinners, and things appeared to be progressing nicely.

But at 19 weeks she just knew something wasn't right. Again, Lea's maternal instincts were accurate. It was confirmed that one of the twins no longer had a heartbeat at 19 weeks and three days gestation.

"I had to carry her to the end of the pregnancy," Lea said.

"She was perfect"

Tully was born at 38 weeks amongst a mixture of grief and excitement for the Hisers.

On one hand, they finally had their baby, but on the other, they were grieving yet another loss.

"Tully was born and she was just perfect," said Lea. "She had a full head of red hair and she's just amazing."

Stephanie, Tully's twin sister had been partially re-absorbed by the placenta which Lea then gave birth to.

Now with an understanding of MTHFR, Lea went on to have another two healthy babies. Her eldest daughter, Tully is now 11 years old, Mila is 10, and Florence is six.

The family visit the beach each year where they write Stanley and Stephanie's names in the sand and remember the little souls who never got to take a breath.

Tully, Mila and Florence write Stanley and Stephanie's names in the sand at the beach each year. Image: supplied.

"I never would have given up"

"I was 28 when I first fell pregnant, for the first miscarriage," Lea said, "and I was 39 when I gave birth to Florence. I spent all of my thirties grieving and losing babies and trying again."

Despite all the heartache, Lea says she never would have given up.

"My desire to have a living child was stronger than anything, stronger than the grief I was feeling. I never would have stopped, never."

Lea now works with Sands and helps others through their grief. The Hiser family will be participating in the Walk to Remember this Sunday. If you would like to be a part of it, visit the Sands website for your local event. Or you could pause to remember those babies who have died on Monday, 15 October for International Pregnancy and Infant Loss Remembrance Day.

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